Embroidering-machine



U NITHD STATES HoswELL T. sMITH, or ``IiAsHuA, .NEW HAMPSHIRE.

i EMBRoiDERlNG-MACHINE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part bf Letters Patent No.3v'1,412,'datea February-7,1888., h Application filed March 30, 188.7. Serial No. 233,028. (Nomodel.) f

To all whom, it may ,cpncer'nx Y A Be it knownv that I, RoswELL T. SMITH, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Nashua,v in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Embroidering-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled vin theartto which it appertains to 'make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.` t

My present invention ing mechanism, and the purpose thereof is to combine with the devices by which the stitch formation is effected a simple and exact apparatus for giving the successivestitch adjustments to the tambour-frame automatically, the invention being for this purpose closely allied to that contained in applications filed by me upon the th day of June, 1885, Serial No. 168,237, ther19th dayof July, 1886, Serial No. 207,609, the th day of March, 1887, Serial i No. 232,375, and the 26th day of March, 1887,

Serial No. 232,552.

t It is apurpose of myinvention, also, toprovide simple and inexpensive mechanism having positive action whereby mechanical adj ustment may be given to any desired extent and in any plane,such adjustments being efl fected in a predetermined order and'time and being-whollyautomatic.

Theinvention therefore contemplates the application to general mechanical purposes of an automatic attachment whereby a great variety of results may be accomplished, and in this respectit resembles the apparatus described in my application l[filed March 25, 1887, No. 232,375, the characteristic difference being in the employment of pneumatic power asthe motive force.

Another feature of the invention is the organization by which it may be attached without essential change to different mechanismssuch, for example, as the powerembroideringmachines referred to in my applications of 1885 and 1886, the embroidering -sewing-machine shown in my application of March 30, 1887, No. 233,029, and other machines of different character and for variedpurposes.

relates t-o'embroider- 'PATENT Oni-Ioni` j The invention consists in the several vnovel vfeatures yof construction and new combinations of parts, hereinafter fully'set forth, and detinitely pointed ont in the claims following this specification.

Referring to the, drawings-accompanying i' this application, Figure 1 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, illustrating'myinvention. Fig. 2 isa transverse tof vertical'section of part of Fig.` 1 inthelinezv Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of part of the pneu'- matic chest shown in Fig. 1 in section. f Figs.

4 and 4 represent, respectively, ythevmanner Y of preparing the governing -ystencilwfrom a chart upon which the several mechanical adjustments are'drawn in a manner to illustrate their relative direction and extenti In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 'I ldesignates a base, of any suitablev form, which gives supporty to the adjusting elements.

ears 3, in which the parts towhich movement is given Vmay freelyy slide. As a familiar illus'- tration ofthe capacities ofthe apparatus,Ihave shown theseparts as consisting ofbars4, cach` ments are shown as being in parallel 'horizontal planes; but it will be seenthat they may be effected in planes at any angle with relail tion to each other.

crumed at the point 6y a bell-crank lever, 7, having the vertical arm terminating near the toothed portion lof the bar and `the horizontal arm 8 lying in the same vertical plane with the bar, parts ispromoted by bringing the extremities of the horizontal arms into or past the same horizontal line, as shown in Fig. 1,-for a purpose presently to be shown. l' .lhe'bar moving at right angles in Fig: 1 is in all particulars similar to that. already described, and it issmila'rly mounted andtoothed, while the actuating bell-cranks are duplicates A convenient construction -forthis frame isthat shown, in which brackets 2 are* mounted on the base 1, said brackets having The compact'organization of the 95 Upon the lower part ofjeachvbracketis fulof those already described, the extremities of their horizontal arms being arranged in or nearly in the same vertical plane, passing through the like extremities of bell-cranks. (Seen in side elevation.)

Upon the end of the Vertical arm of each bell-crank is pivotally mounted a pawl, 9, having a spring, 10, connected to its tail, by which it is normally impelled to engage with the overhanging rack 5 of the bar 4. By the vibration, therefore,of one or the other of said bell-cranks the said bar will be adjusted 1ongitudinally in its bearings 3, the extent of adjustment being proportioned to the number of times the vibrations of the lever are repeated. Between thepawl and the bar is mounted a relief-plate, 11, attached to an arm, 12, of the bracket 2, and adjusted thereon by means of a set-screw, 13,passing through a slot, 14, in the plate. The end of this plate is so adjusted between the nose of the pawl and the rack 5 that when the former is about to cease its retractile movement its nose rides up on the plate and the engagement with' the rack ceases. This construction is the same with each bell-crank pawl, and by it the adjustment in opposite directions is rendered possible. These relief-plates also afford convenient means of lengthening or shortening the effective throw of the pawls, since they may be adj usted in the direction of such movement, so that no engagement will be made with the rack until this pawl has so nearly completed its stroke that its remaining movement will adjust thevbar the distance of a single tooth only.

The numeral 15 denotes a pneumatic chest constructed of any suitable materialsuch as wood or metal-and of any convenient size, due regard being had to the power it is eX- pected to possess. The interior of this chest is provided with an exhaust-chamber, 16, occupying usually more than half the cubic space available. Lying Within this exhaust-chamber are rigid shelves 17, each having an airchamber, 18, from which an air-passage, 19, leads to the outer air, said passages being formed in the solid head 15 of the chest and being so constructed that their orifices lie in substantially the same line.

Covering each air-chamber 18 is a diaphragm, 20, of ilexible material, and so applied that it may rise and fall as the equilibrium of atmospheric pressure is disturbed on one side or the other of said diaphragm. On each diaphragm is mounted a piston-disk, 21, having a small air-opening, 22, which opening also passes through the diaphragm, and rigidly connected with each piston-disk 21 is a lever, 23, fulcrumed in the remote wall of the chest, or on any suitable supportremoved from the air-chambers 18. The chamber 16 is exhausted by any ordinary blower or pump communicating with said chamberby apipe, 24.

In the solid head 15 of the air-chest is journaled aA shaft, 25, carrying a sprocket, 26, the teeth 27 whereof project beyond the endof the solid head, in which the orifices of the air-passages 19 lie. This sprocket is driven with an intermittent rotation produced by apitman,

28, which vibrate's a pawl-carrying arm, 29, mounted onthe end of the sprocketshaft 25 and carrying a pawl, 30,which is engaged with the teeth of a ratchet, 31, on the shaft 25. The pitman 28 is provided with two adjustable nuts, 32 and 33,which make engagement alternately with t-he bearing 34, in which the pitman reciprocates, .These nuts alternately retract the pawl-carrier 29 and then project it forward, thus giving to the sprocket a progressive revolution with an interval of rest after each advance, such interval being proportioned to the distance between the adjustable nuts and the speed of the pitman. A wristpin, 35, carried by a disk, 36, gives reciprocation to the pitman, the disk 36 being driven by a pulley, 37, belted to any source of power.

Over the end of the solid head 0f the pneumatic chest is carried a stencil-sheet, 38, having a centralseries of openings, 39, which engage with the teeth of the sprocket 26. In this pitman are formed at intervals openings 40, arranged in diiferentlongitudinal series, having such location in nthe stencil that as the latter advances said openings may pass over and register with the mouths of the air-passages 19. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that as any one of the stencil-openings uncovers the orice of one of the air-channels 19 the air-pressure beneath the diaphragm 2O will be in excessof that upon the other side of t-he diaphragm. The latter will therefore rise and lift the piston-disk 21. Alike movement will be communicated to any one of the four piston-disks in turn, the time of their relative movements beingdeterinined by the arrival of the openings 40 in the stencil at the mouths of the air-passages 19.

Upon each of the levers 23 is mounted a rod, 4l,whichprojects upward throughv the wall of the pneumaticchest and has its end setin abearing on the horiz'ontal arm of one of the bellcranks 7. The arrangement of these rods is shown in Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that they correspond with the' alignment of the parts of the levers with which they engage. By carrying the shelves 17 entirely across the chest I am able to arrange the piston-disks 21 partly beneath each`other,and at the same time give ample proportions to each, the rods and disks being connected in an ascending series, which allows them to be brought as close as may be necessary.

To illustrate the infinite variety of automatic action of which the apparatus is capable, I have shown in Fig. 4 one form of stencil whereby the successive mechanical adjustments indicated in Fig. 4 may be accomplished.

It the pattern-sheet in Fig. 4 represents spaces of, say, one-tenth of an inch each, and the outline thereon is that of a leaf to be indicated on the stencil, it will be readily seen how the latter is constructed from the former. The stencil being laid off in equal spaces 42, each lIO '377,412 f f f -25 indicating a space proportioned to'one ofv the squares of the pattern, yit will be noted-that the initial Vmovement in the charted design is diagonally across one ofthe squares. Considering this as a stitch to be formed on an embroidering-machine, it is evident that a single move to the right and -an equal movement upward will exactly represent such-a stitch. Therefore on the stencil the cuttings in space 1 arein the up 7 and right series. Stitches Nos. 2 and 3'are similar, but the fourth is upward and to the left. Therefore this is represented in the stencil by cuttings in the series marked No. 5, one` in the up and one in the left longitudinal series. design further it may be seen that the pattern can be kas easily read on the stencil as on the design itself, and that by a simple variation of arrangement any seriesof adjustments may be readily effected with 'a most exact auto matic action. It should be noted that this stencil is cut in such manner that when used upon an embroidering mechanism it will give i equal adjustments at each advance of the stencil, the stitch formation alternating therewith and working the design in stitches of equal length. It is evident, however, that by providing for a repeated action of the stencil between successive stitchcsj a design may beex- ,ecuted in stitches fof unequal length, as shown in my application tiled March 25, 1887, No. 232,375.

ln working trade-marks, also, by a mechanism similarto that shownin my application tiled March 30, 1887, Serial No. 233,029, this apparatus vmay bev attached tothe tambouradjusting bars without change, the feed of the stencil being yso timed that its adjustments.v

will alternate with'lthe stitch formation and give a continuous action. The effective throw of each bell-crank 7 may be varied by set-` screws 43, which arrest the vibration. This same result may be secured by slightly extending the bearing for the pivotal fulcrum `iand forming a series of openings therein. By pivotig the lever 7nearer the rods 41 the latter will approach the fulcrum-point and the stroke will be correspondingly increased. The bellcranks are each retracted by springs 44.

It is important to notice that by building up the pneumatic chest in'ascending series as regards the separate-air-chambers 18 I am able to give any desired size to the piston-surface within the available space in the chest, and still bring the rods 4l, actuated by the lift of said pistons, close together. ,The piston-surface may thus be increased as the needed power may require without aiiecting the relative arrangement of the rods and other partsA Bytracing the equilibrium of air-pressure on their ,oppositeY sides, effected by alraveling stencil having air- 'openingsrwhich communicate as thestencil advances with the chambers in which said v pistons lie, substantially as/specitied. Y

2. The combination, with two or more bars; having longitudinal adjustment, of recipro- 'cating devices giving intermittent longitudinal adjustment, a pneumatic. chest having Y.

puniping'mechanism communicating with it,

`outerair, a steneil traveling. over` said pas-f sages and having varied openings, and' rods lifted by the pistons,substantially as specified.

having anexhaust-chamber and provided with shelves which are arranged within said chamber, each shelf having an air-chamber' communicating with the exterior, Vofa series of pistons, one inv each airchamber, levers ,9o 4. The combination, withapneumatic chest J fulcrumed on a suitable support and attached to said pistons, devices rising and falling with said levers, and a stencil traveling over the passages connecting the piston-chamber with theexte'rior air, said stencil` having openings in four separate series, substantially as speci-Y y fied. f

5. The combination, with the bars arranged,

as set forth, of the reciprocating bell-cranksl adjusting said bars, aseries of yrods ,engaging said bell-cranks, a pneumatic chest having a series of shelves arranged in its interior, a se.- ries of airlchambers partly overlying each other y in said shelves, piston-disks` lying in said chambers, a stencil moving over air-pas- IOjS'. f I

.sages communicating with said air-chambers, l

and means for exhausting' the chest-,the rods engaging the bell-cranks being actuatedby the riseof said piston-disks, substantially as specified. f

6. The combination, with a pneumatic chest having an exhaust-chamberand provided with` separate air-chambers communicating with the exhaust and with the exterior air, of diaphragms covering said air-chambers, pistons mounted on said diaphragms and hav-- ing openings in the diaphragms,and astenl cil having four series of openings which register with the passages connecting the piston-l ton-chambers with theexterior, said chambers being arranged in an `ascending order, substantially as specified.

7. The combination, with the pneumatic chest having an exhaustchamberand pro vided with separate air-chambers, of pistondisks lying in said chamber, leversfulcrumed to suitable supports and attached Ito said pis-. ton-disks, a stencil lying upon Athe solid head of the chest and having varied openings, a

. feed-sprocketjournaled in the solid head, and

means for operating said sprocket to advance the stencil, openings being formed between 'the piston-chambers 4and the stencil and in chamber and provided with a series of separate vair-chambers which communicate with the main chamber and with the exterior, in combination with a series of pistons and piston-disks lying in said separate air-chambers, and rods which are actuated by the lift of said pistons, the separate air-chambers being arranged to partly overhang each other, or in an ase-ending series, whereby the rods operated by the piston may be brought into close proximity, and the piston-disks being controlled in their action by a stencil moving over the air-openings which connect the separate air-chambers with the exterior, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROSWELL T. SMITH.

Vi tn esses:

GHAs. B. TILDEN, M. P. CALLAN. 

